The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-29

friends, members probably of his own fami-
ly, were opposed to his public ministry and
sought to restrain him MARK iii. 81, 81. The
language of Micah may have been under
stood as applying to the times of the Messi-
ah, though it evidently had other reference.
JESUS may only have employed the language
of the prophet to describe what was then act
ual in his own experience and that of his dis
ciples.
The SUPREMACY OF CHRISTIAN Truth AND
DrTY.
There must be no surrender of prir ciples,
or hesitancy in the performance Of Christian
duty for the sake of peace and domestic
tranquility when there can be no peace. The
claims of Christianity do not destroy or ig-
more family ties and obligations, but enforce
the supreme claims of the Divine family,
which includes all human relations and du-
ties. The true Christian who yields supreme
allegiance to the cause of his Master does not
love his family and friends less, but more
| and wiser than do others. The larger love
and higher duties include all other affections
and obligations. The Disciples of JESUS who,
from family affections and considerations,
were not disposed to engage in their Masters
work in obedience to his call, we're not quail
| flied for the apostolic mission. The same
| is generally true with respect to every call to
| Christian duty. It is recognized also in the
realm of patriotism as we'll as of religion. In
the time of the country's danger he is es-
teemed unworthy of the privileges of citizen
ship who loves father or mother, son or
daughter more than country. Our own ma
tional union is preserved because so many of
it's citizens, loving their country more, left
their families, whom they loved not less, and
went to the defense of the country, the secur
ity of home and its prosperity; and all pro-
claim their deeds worthy of them. The
blessings of the kingdom of heaven are wor-
thy to be esteemed above the privileges of
citizenship in any of the Kingdoms of the
world, and surely no lees self-denying loyal
ty is demanded of its subjects.
"He is unworthy of me-" says JESUS, "who
does not take up his cross and follow me-"
The cross is the symbol of self-denying SER
vice, made significant by the death OF JESUS.
1t could hardly have had this meaning when
JESUS pronounced the discourse in which the
Lesson is contained. 1t might have been en-
ployed as a symbol of hardship and igno-
miny, to which the apostles were exposed by
persecution, from the fact that criminals
were commonly condemned to carry the
GROSS to the place of execution. But it is
more probable that the Evangelist who made
the record long after JESUS spoke, has report
ed what he said in this particular in the sym
bolic language of the time he wrote. JESUS
required that his apostles should deny them
selves luxury, ease and the comforts of home,
and go forth as missionaries of the kingdom
of COP in imitation of him who, as an timer
ant teacher and preacher, "went about doing
good" and chad not where to lay his head;"
that they should be willing even to surrender
their lives rather than prove unfaithful to
their Divine calling.
When the apostles lives were endangered
they might be induced to abandon their call
ing, or renounce or deny their faith for the
sake of preserving their lives. JESUS teaches
them that in times of great danger it is safest
to be true to principle and faithful to duty.
He that fndeth Literally, found or gained)
his life, shall lose it; and he that loeeth Qost)
his life for my sake shall find it" Whoever,
by renonncing his calling, or denying his
faith, should preserve his life, would miss
the blessings and be denied the privileges of
the kingdom of heaven, and would perish
with his countrymen who should fall under
the Providential Judgment of GoD, having
rejected their Messiah; while those who by
faithfulness had lost their life would find it
among the saints in glory; would, indeed,
continue to live more really than ever be-
fore. To the faithful Christian there Isl there
can be, no death. His real life, that he lives
even in the flesh, is the life immortal, and
the abundant life which JESUS came to i'm
part to the soul. DR.. Hanson in The Ne,o
Covenant substitutes ''seeks" for 'indeth."
"He who seeks especially to save his life shall
the more certainly lose it, while be who re-
nounces his life for truth and righteousness
sake, is surest to preserve it." There is an
ancient tradition that no Christian persisted
in the destruction that overthrow the Jewish
commonwealth. There are those who inter-
pref JESUS words to mean that whoever by
faithlessness shall preserve his natural life,
will lose the spiritual life which Christianity
develops; while on the other hand those who
may lose their natural lives by Christian
fidelity will preserve and promote the spirit
ual, that is, find eternal life. There are some
analogies of Scripture that may favor this
Interpretation; but whatever the precise and
literal Interpretation of JESUS tea ching may
be, the practical meaning for us is plain
enough. We shall find our truest life in faith
fulness to truth and duty-in self denying
loyalty to our Christian faith and the institu-
tions by which it is fostered and promoted in
the world. Whoever for selfish ends and
personal advantage conceals his real convic-
tions, and refuses or neglects to publicly
stand for and by his secretly cherished relig-
ious faith, loses his best life,-his own self
respect and the respect and confidence of
those who knew him BEST and the conscious
ness of the favor and blessing of COP upon
his heart and life.
The REWARD OF RIGHTEoUsNEss.
Having described the antagonism which
the apostles would encounter in prosecuting